WO1988003721A1 - Systeme indicateur d'etat pour elements exposes a l'usure - Google Patents

Systeme indicateur d'etat pour elements exposes a l'usure Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1988003721A1
WO1988003721A1 PCT/GB1987/000800 GB8700800W WO8803721A1 WO 1988003721 A1 WO1988003721 A1 WO 1988003721A1 GB 8700800 W GB8700800 W GB 8700800W WO 8803721 A1 WO8803721 A1 WO 8803721A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
optical fibre
loop
light signal
signal
wearable element
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1987/000800
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
David Edward Cumpstey
Peter John Taylor
Phillip Mansell
Ian John
Original Assignee
Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited filed Critical Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited
Publication of WO1988003721A1 publication Critical patent/WO1988003721A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L5/00—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles
    • B60L5/18—Current collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles using bow-type collectors in contact with trolley wire
    • B60L5/20—Details of contact bow
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R39/00—Rotary current collectors, distributors or interrupters
    • H01R39/02—Details for dynamo electric machines
    • H01R39/58—Means structurally associated with the current collector for indicating condition thereof, e.g. for indicating brush wear
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L2200/00—Type of vehicles
    • B60L2200/26—Rail vehicles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a condition indicator system for wearable elements such as crack or wear indication of a carbon electric traction current-collector, wear indication in a carbon brush for a dynamo electric machine or wear indication in brake pads or linings.
  • the present invention particularly but not exclusively relates to a condition indicator system for use in regions of high strength electric or magnetic fields- Failure indicators for the carbon electric traction current-collectors of a pantograph for a railway power car or locomotive have to operate in the environment of a 25 kv supply together with exposure above the roof of a power car and be fully insulated and isolated from and unaffected by such an environment.
  • a known collector breakage system operates pneumatically and interfaces with an auto drop device that operates to drop the pantograph in the event of the collector being damaged, to prevent further damage to the overhead contact wire; see for example the collector breakage detector system described. in GB PS 1374972 and GB PS 2107662A.
  • Known dynamo electric brush wear indicator systems depend upon an electrically conductive wire detector embedded in a brush and contacting the commutator or slip ring at a given wear point, the combination of an electrical detector system with electric supply through the brush to the commutator or slip ring of a dynamo electric machine in the harsh electromagnetic environment within such a machine is both difficult, complicated, expensive and liable to damage the commutator or slip ring; see for example the brush wear detector system described in US PS 4316186.
  • a condition, indicator system for a wearable element comprising an optical fibre attached to or within a wearable element, means connected to one end of the optical fibre to transmit a light signal therethrough, means connected to the other element of the optical fibre to detect the transmitted light signal, the detector means being arranged to produce an output signal contingent upon the transmitted light signal and warning means connected to the output of the detector means arranged to generate a failure signal when the detector means output signal changes; indicating an absence of the light signal due to breakage of the optical fibre.
  • breakage of the optical fibre could be due to a fault condition for the wearable element to or in which the optical fibre is attached or to wear of the element to the point at which the optical fibre in the element has been exposed and broken.
  • optical fibres for the transmission of data when electrical insulation and isolation are required and it is also known to use optical fibre as a sensor or transducer, by modifying an optical parameter of the fibre, neither type of application is the same as the present invention wherein an optical fibre is used to detect failure of a wearable element.
  • wearable elements have to be replaceable and consequently as inexpensive as possible.
  • a condition indicator such as a breakage or wear indicator for wearable elements has to be inexpensive.
  • fibre optic devices have tended to be expensive and intrinsically non-disposable and thus commercially not thought to be applicable to failure detection of a wearable element.
  • a fibre optic condition indicator system for a wearable element comprises:- a loop of optical fibre attached to or within a wearable element; a light signal generator; means to optically couple one end of the fibre optic loop to the light signal generator; a light signal detector, arranged to produce an output signal in response to reception of light at or above a given level of intensity; means to optically couple the other end of the fibre optic loop to the light signal detector and, warning means connected to the output of the light signal detector; wherein the light, signal is solely the presence or absence of light of given intensity and the optical coupling means are readily dis-connectable and are constructed to transmit sufficient light to maintain said level of intensity.
  • An indicator system in accordance with this particular aspect of the present invention is a minimum system in terms of complexity and components, so as to fulfill the cost requirement of a disposable system.
  • the simplest and hence cheapest fibre optic condition indicator system would employ a single optical fibre attached to a wearable element, relying on the ability of an optical fibre to transmit light signals in either direction without interference of one signal with the other, we have discovered that the simplest effective indicator system requires an optical fibre loop with the apparent additional complexity of running parallel optical fibres from the generator and detector to the wearable element with separate optical couplers connecting each end of the loop to the signal generator and detector respectively.
  • the optical fibre is a monofilament
  • the frequency of the light signal is chosen to best match the optimum transmissivity of the optical fibres; this being because the connection of the optical fibre loop to the rest of the indicator system and the installation of a collector on a pantograph requires several serial connections between the generator and the indicator and this inevitably results in loss of light signal intensity at each connection.
  • the optical fibre is a monofilament of plastics material, the optical couplings are very simple snap-in connectors and a visible frequency is chosen for the light signal.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a pantograph including a breakage/wear indicator system in accordance with the present invention
  • Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, an end elevation and an underplan of a carbon electric traction current collector to which an optical fibre loop is attached for breakage indication;
  • Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, an end elevation and an underplan of a carbon electric traction current collector in which an optical fibre loop is mounted for breakage and wear indication;
  • Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the condition indicator system of Fig. 1;
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of the electronic control unit of Fig. 6;
  • Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a brush wear indicator system for a dynamo electric machine in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figs. 9 and 10 are, respectively, an end and a side elevation of an optical fibre loop mounted in a brush for wear indication.
  • Fig. 1 shows a Brecknell-Willis pantograph 1 which has a British Rail Auto Drop Device (ADD) system which operates pneumatically to lower the pantograph 1 when either of a pair of carbon electric traction current collectors 2, 3 are damaged.
  • ADD British Rail Auto Drop Device
  • Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate one form of carbon collector 2 which has a pair of channels4, 5 in the under-surface 6 of the collector, each channel running parallel to and inset from a side edge 7, 8 of the collector.
  • One end 9 of the collector has a cross piece 10 from one channel to the other in the under-surface.
  • a loop of a monofilament of optical fibre such as 200 micron silica fibre e.g. Ensigne Bickford Type HCR 2127, is bonded into the two channels in the collector and passes from one channel to the other via the cross piece 10.
  • the bond between fibre and collector is strong and inflexible so that damage to the collector such as would fracture the carbon will also break the optical fibre and interrupt light transmission through the fibre.
  • FIG. 4 and 5 illustrate another form of carbon collector 3 which has a single channel 12 in the under- surface 6 of the collector, the channel running longitudinally and centrally between the side edges 7,8 of the collector.
  • This form of collector 3 also has a longitudinal hole 13 at a depth "d" below the collector upper surface 14, the longitudinal hole being aligned above channel 12. The depth "d” is that at which the collector would become dangerously worn.
  • a monofilament of optical fibre 11 is passed as a loop through hole 13 about one end of the collector and back along groove 12. Again the fibre is bonded to the collector. In this form fracture of the carbon will break the fibre? wear of the collector to the wear point at depth "d” will also break the fibre.
  • a pair of optical monofila ents 15 feed through a mechanical splitter 16 so that one fibre 17 of the fibre pair joins one connecting part 18 of an optical coupler, the other connecting part 19 of the coupler being joined to one arm of an optical fibre loop 11 fitted to one carbon collector (2 or 3).
  • the other arm of this optical fibre loop 11 is optically coupled, via connector parts 19 and 18, a bridging optical fibre 19a and connector parts 20 and 21 of another optical coupler to be in series with an arm of an optical fibre loop 11 fitted to the second carbon collector (2 or 3).
  • the other arm of the second optical fibre loop 11 is optically coupled, via connectors 20 and 21 to the other fibre 22 of the optical fibre pair 15.
  • Fibre pair 15 is then run along the arms of the pantograph 1 to optical connectors 23 on an insulator 24 mounted on the roof 25 of an electric power car.
  • a further optical fibre pair 26 running from another optical connector 27 beneath the insulator 24 to an optical connector 28 to couple to the system's electronic control unit 29.
  • a further optical fibre pair 30 runs from the electronic unit 29 to an optical height limit switch 31; the function of which is to prevent over extension of the pantograph arms. The presence of height limit switch 31 necessitates a further optical in line connector 32 in fibre pair 15.
  • the actual optical circuit comprises one fibre of pair 26 running from the electronic control unit 29, through insulator 24, up the pantograph arm, serially around both carbon collectors, down the other fibre of pair 15 along the pantograph arm, back through the insulator and then to the electronic control unit.
  • Engineering requirements including the replaceable carbon collectors, means that there are ten optical connections in the circuit loop, each connection resulting in a loss of light intensity.
  • the optical couplers are sturdy, well protected multi-way connectors, in-line connectors such as couplers 18 and
  • a suitable optical connector is a Souriau Type 8 P with modified contacts to suit HCS cable.
  • Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the electronic control unit 29 which is shown to comprise a power supply 33 and an associated electronic monitoring system, the system basically consisting of a signal generator 34 which supplies an electric logic level signal to an opto- electric transmitter 35, typically transmitting at 850 nm wavelength.
  • the input end of the optical fibre 17 is optically coupled to the transmitter 35.
  • the output end of the return optical fibre is optically coupled to an opto-electronic • schmitted receiver 36 to sense a lack of received light from fibre 22.
  • a system indicator 37 and a relay 38 are serially connected to the output of receiver 36.
  • the receiver outputs an electric logic level signal the state of which depends upon whether or not the intensity of received light is below a set threshold level.
  • the system indicator 37 is arranged to indicate when light of sufficient intensity is being received and the relay is arranged to operate volt free ⁇ contacts 39 (for remote indication etc. and/or local audible or visual alarms) when the intensity of received light falls below the set threshold level.
  • a test facility is also provided that allows isolation of remote alarms and monitoring of signals from the installed optical circuit.
  • the principle involved is that of continuity throughout an optical fibre path and indication of a failure in the optical path producing a lack of continuity or an intensity of received light below that of a set threshold level.
  • the test facility enables an operator, such as a motorman, to check that the indicator system is itself fault free.
  • Ganged switches 40 and 41 switch the input to transmitter 35 from the signal generator 34 to a test signal generator 42 that outputs low frequency pulses, typically with an 0.5 second pulse repetition frequency, and an LED indicator 43 is connected between the test signal generator and the switch 42.
  • switch 41 switches the output from receiver 36 to a further LED indicator 44. Switching to test produces a 2 c.p.s. flashing light signal from the "transmission OK" indicator 43, a 2 c.p.s. flashing light signal from the "system OK" indicator 37 and a 2 c.p.s. flashing light signal from the "receiver OK" indicator 44.
  • Fig. 8 shows a dynamo electric brush wear indicator system to comprise an electronic control unit 45, generally similar to the circuit 57 but without the test facility, using an LED as an alarm light instead of or as well as volt free relay contacts and with the transmitter emitting light at a visible frequency.
  • a pair of plastic monofilament optical fibres 46 and 47 are optically coupled at 48 to the transmitter and receiver of the electronic unit 45 and a lead to a bulkhead fitting 49 on the casing 50 of a dynamo electric machine 51 having a slip ring or commutator 52 and a pair of brushes 53 and 54.
  • an in-line connector 55, 56 optically couples each fibre to inter-connecting fibre optic links 57 and 58 respectively, also being plastic monofi1aments.
  • Each brush 53 or 54 has a loop of optical fibre 59 or 60,again a plastic monofilament embedded or otherwise passing down through or against a side face of the brush, with the fibre loop terminating at a given depth "D", the maximum safe wear depth, from the brushes contact face 61 (see Figs. 9 and 10). Wear of the brush to this wear depth will break the optical loop.
  • the optical fibres are intrinsically isolated and insulated from the brush and moreover, contact between the optical fibre and the slip ring or commutator will cause no or minimal damage.
  • Each brush loop 59, 60 has in-line connectors 62,63 respectively optically coupling one arm of each loop 59,60 to interconnecting loops 57 or 5&.
  • An alarm signal or operation of the alarm output relay indicates an interruption in the optical signal passing over the whole of the fibre optic loop, such as may be caused by wear breakage of the optical fibre in one of the brushes.
  • Identification of the worn brush can be achieved by simply disconnecting each optical coupler in turn starting from the transmitter end looking for the absence of light in the appropriate fibre.
  • the brush wear indicator system is arranged with several fibre optic loops in parallel and brushes either singly connected in each loop or several brushes serially connected in any one loop.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Current-Collector Devices For Electrically Propelled Vehicles (AREA)
  • Motor Or Generator Current Collectors (AREA)
  • Measuring Pulse, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure Or Blood Flow (AREA)
  • Measurement And Recording Of Electrical Phenomena And Electrical Characteristics Of The Living Body (AREA)

Abstract

Un système indicateur d'état destiné à un élément exposé à l'usure (2, 3 ou 53, 54) comprend une fibre optique (11 ou 59, 60) fixée à ou dans un élément exposé à l'usure, un organe (20, 21 ou 55, 62, 65) relié à l'une des extrémités (17 ou 46) de la fibre optique afin de transmettre un signal lumineux à travers elle, un organe (18, 19 ou 66, 63, 56) relié à l'autre extrémité (22 ou 47) de la fibre optique afin de détecter le signal lumineux transmis. L'organe de détection (36) dudit système indicateur d'état est conçu pour produire un signal de sortie subordonné à la transmission du signal lumineux, et un organe avertisseur (38, 39) relié aux sorties de l'organe de détection est destiné à produire un signal d'avarie lorsque le signal de sortie de l'organe de détection change. L'élément exposé à l'usure peut être un collecteur de courant de traction électrique au carbone ou un balai pour un appareil dynamo-électrique, et la fibre optique peut être fixée à l'élément exposé à l'usure d'une façon telle que toute rupture de l'élément exposé à l'usure provoquerait la rupture de la fibre optique, et/ou la fibre optique peut être fixée en un point d'usure donné de l'élément exposé à l'usure d'une façon telle que l'usure de l'élément à l'endroit du point d'usure provoquerait la rupture de la fibre optique.
PCT/GB1987/000800 1986-11-11 1987-11-10 Systeme indicateur d'etat pour elements exposes a l'usure WO1988003721A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB868626874A GB8626874D0 (en) 1986-11-11 1986-11-11 Condition indicator system
GB8626874 1986-11-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1988003721A1 true WO1988003721A1 (fr) 1988-05-19

Family

ID=10607115

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1987/000800 WO1988003721A1 (fr) 1986-11-11 1987-11-10 Systeme indicateur d'etat pour elements exposes a l'usure

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0269307A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU8173087A (fr)
GB (1) GB8626874D0 (fr)
WO (1) WO1988003721A1 (fr)
ZA (1) ZA878422B (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU182239U1 (ru) * 2018-02-08 2018-08-09 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Омский государственный университет путей сообщения" Токоприемник транспортного средства

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3907673A1 (de) * 1988-11-30 1990-05-31 Buero Patent Ag Ueberwachungsvorrichtung fuer mindestens einen stromabnehmer eines foerderwagens einer schienengebundenen foerderanalge
AT398735B (de) * 1991-07-26 1995-01-25 Siemens Ag Oesterreich Überwachungseinrichtung für stromabnehmerschleifleisten
GB2264168B (en) * 1992-01-28 1995-07-19 Bmt Defence Services Limited Device for measuring wear in bearings
DE59302272D1 (de) * 1993-03-05 1996-05-23 Sgl Carbon Ag Bruchmelder für Schleifstücke
US6111643A (en) * 1997-10-28 2000-08-29 Reliance Electric Industrial Company Apparatus, system and method for determining wear of an article
ES2179776A1 (es) * 2001-05-09 2003-01-16 Castillo Flaviano Pinto Mejoras introducidas en el objeto de la patente de invencion n-200000207 de dispositivo de seguridad y control por infrarrojos del desgaste de pletinas captadoras de corriente electrica en pantografos de ferrocarriles.
GB2408570B (en) * 2003-10-31 2005-11-23 Morganite Elect Carbon Monitoring system for electrical vehicles drawing current from overhead conductors
CN103528624B (zh) * 2013-10-18 2016-03-30 中国航空工业集团公司北京长城计量测试技术研究所 光纤式受电弓综合在线实时检测与控制系统

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1374972A (en) * 1971-11-25 1974-11-20 Morganitie Carbon Ltd Current collectors for use with overhead power cables
US4316186A (en) * 1980-02-06 1982-02-16 Eltra Corporation Brush wear detection and warning system
EP0078159A1 (fr) * 1981-10-22 1983-05-04 Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited Collecteur de courant pour traction électrique
DE3147453A1 (de) * 1981-12-01 1983-07-14 Fried. Krupp Gmbh, 4300 Essen Stromabnehmer fuer streckengebundene elektrofahrzeuge
CH659153A5 (en) * 1981-12-23 1986-12-31 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Device for monitoring the wear of carbon brushes in electrical machines
EP0232209A1 (fr) * 1986-01-06 1987-08-12 FERRAZ Société Anonyme Dispositif pour la détection du seuil d'usure des contacts électriques du type à frottement

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS58198103A (ja) * 1982-05-12 1983-11-18 Sumitomo Electric Ind Ltd パンタグラフ異常検出装置

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1374972A (en) * 1971-11-25 1974-11-20 Morganitie Carbon Ltd Current collectors for use with overhead power cables
US4316186A (en) * 1980-02-06 1982-02-16 Eltra Corporation Brush wear detection and warning system
EP0078159A1 (fr) * 1981-10-22 1983-05-04 Morganite Electrical Carbon Limited Collecteur de courant pour traction électrique
DE3147453A1 (de) * 1981-12-01 1983-07-14 Fried. Krupp Gmbh, 4300 Essen Stromabnehmer fuer streckengebundene elektrofahrzeuge
CH659153A5 (en) * 1981-12-23 1986-12-31 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Device for monitoring the wear of carbon brushes in electrical machines
EP0232209A1 (fr) * 1986-01-06 1987-08-12 FERRAZ Société Anonyme Dispositif pour la détection du seuil d'usure des contacts électriques du type à frottement

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU182239U1 (ru) * 2018-02-08 2018-08-09 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Омский государственный университет путей сообщения" Токоприемник транспортного средства

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8173087A (en) 1988-06-01
EP0269307A1 (fr) 1988-06-01
ZA878422B (en) 1988-07-27
GB8626874D0 (en) 1986-12-10

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